The 183-acre temple took nearly 12 years to be built and its construction involved over 12,500 volunteers from across the US
Our Bureau
Robbinsville, NJ
The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, the largest Hindu temple in the country, is all set to be inaugurated on October 8th at Robbinsville, New Jersey . This magnificent Mahamandir (grand temple), is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, a revered Hindu spiritual leader of the 19th century, and pays tribute to his teachings and legacy, inspired by his 5th spiritual successor, the renowned saint Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
Located in New Jersey’s Robbinsville Township, the temple is possibly the second largest after Angkor Wat in Cambodia, a UNESCO World Heritage site spanning across 500 acres. The 183-acre temple took nearly 12 years to be built and its construction involved over 12,500 volunteers from across the US. The journey to construct this Mahamandir commenced in 2015 and is now poised for a grand inauguration on October 8, 2023, in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj and esteemed dignitaries. The inauguration festivities will extend over a period of one week, with numerous members of the United States Congress, senators, representatives from the Biden Administration, and state governors scheduled to participate in this grand event.
The Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in US has been designed as per the ancient Indian culture. There are over 10,000 statues and carvings of Indian musical instruments and dance forms at the temple. Besides a main shrine, the temple has 12 sub-shrines, nine shikhars (spire-like structures), and nine pyramidal shikhars. It also has the largest elliptical dome of traditional stone architecture.
As per the temple’s official website, the process involved sourcing stone marble from quarries in Europe, shipping it to India via sea cargo, and then transporting it to Rajasthan. There, hundreds of skilled artisans meticulously hand-carved the stones, ensuring precision and detail in every piece. These stones were first assembled at workshops in India, where they were meticulously numbered by onsite engineers, disassembled, carefully packed, and shipped to the United States. The journey of each stone spanned an astonishing 21,500 miles, from Europe to the USA.
Surrounding the Mandir is a protective Mandap, standing an impressive 55 feet tall and 135 feet wide. The Mayur Dwar, the main gate of the Mandap, is adorned with 236 intricately carved peacocks, along with other beautifully sculpted elements such as elephants, devotees, and Paramahansa. This Mandap not only adds to the temple’s grandeur but also ensures its preservation against the elements, safeguarding its timeless beauty for generations to come.
